#1 Include additional stakeholders in the effort to involve more parents in the career and post-secondary educational planning process
Background
Currently, to our knowledge, guidance is the lone stakeholder when it comes to involving parents in the career and post-secondary educational planning process. For example, they offer a quarterly newsletter and multiple meetings devoted to informing parents about grade-specific career and post-secondary planning.
•5 year time period for solution
Solution
Teachers, local businesses, post-secondary institutions, and administrators have been identified as the ideal additional stakeholders.
Teachers can promote parental involvement through the following:
•In the future, an expectation for parent-teacher conferences will be to incorporate a brief discussion of student post-secondary planning
Local businesses can promote parental involvement through the following:
•Incorporate a business profile in the guidance newsletter, which will notify parents of requirements for employment in the area
Post-secondary institutions can promote parental involvement through the following:
•Advertise programs available to students through guidance newsletter
Administrators can promote parental involvement through the following:
•Communicate more effectively the variety of post-secondary opportunities available to our students
•Coordinate a parent-student college fair.
2. Find additional means for students to meet individually with counselors without interrupting academic programming. (Responsibility of Guidance Department)
The Guidance Department, especially the Guidance Secretary works very hard to see students only during scheduled study hall times, before school or after school. However, there are individual crisis situations that necessitate seeing students during class time.
• Guidance Counselors continued diligence to only see students during non-class times.
• Restructure freshman study hall time to allow more flexibility for freshmen to meet with their guidance counselor as opposed to all freshmen having the same study hall time at the same time every day.
Staff Feedback:
3. Special education
Special education has formalized goals for graduation rates, special education student rates and for special education paper work.
The special education reviews IEP paper work and the IEP writing process on a monthly basis through out the year. The special education director oversees the IEPs that have been complete and makes notes on mistakes. Te special education department is also currently in the first year of a certification auditing review by the state to see if our record keeping meets certain state standards.
The special education department sets goals based on special education rates. The two things the department concentrates on are graduation rates and number of special education students. The graduation rate is done yearly at the end of the school year when teachers provide the special education director with senior exit forms. The number of special education students is kept as an on going process. Exit and entrance forms are used to track special education students coming and going in the school.
Guidance
Each year in Guidance we create department level goals based on curriculum for college, career, personal, social and academic elements and individual counselor goals are developed. Departmental goals are created during staff meetings and during some in-service time. Individual goals are created by the counselor, and the Department Chair works with them to practice reflective behavior and include individual goals as part of the observation process. Guidance councilors then evaluate/reflect on the goals at the end of the year to determine programming effectiveness.
Last year a staff survey was conducted to gather input on guidance services, done on survey monkey. The guidance department is currently constructing a student survey, which when completed will be done on paper. This type of survey has not been done for years but the input gathered should prove to be very helpful for guidance to determine what the students needs are and the desire for new or adjusted services.
Library/ Media Resources
The library relies heavily on computerized data collection done monthly with the goal being the end of the year summary stating where the media center needs to accommodate the usage needs for their patrons/classes and the material checked out. This data is collected to improve the services they provide.
4. Seek additional/alternative storage methods for student records
The principal and guidance director would be responsible for determining which solutions to use for this recommendation.
• More file cabinets:
• Restructure space for cabinets
• Move archive files to different location
• Scan and digitize archive records in a tape or CD or server
The current solution of needed cabinets was solved with old cabinets. The storage space is more problematic for archive files than files for current students. Restructuring space has limitations with the current layout of the guidance department rooms. Someone would have to scan all the files from long ago to utilize technology. A solution should be reached by June of 2010.
5. Explore options for improving both accessibility and comfort for guidance spaces. (Responsibility of Administration and Building Maintenance)
The area designated for the Guidance Secretary’s work area is very small. The limited space in the entry of the guidance office also makes it difficult for a physically disabled or handicapped person to navigate through the tight space available in order to meet with a guidance counselor in his/her office.
• There is currently space in the guidance office (career library and open office), which might be able to be restructured to allow for a more spacious and welcoming entry are to the guidance office.
Staff Feedback:
• More space is needed with room for chairs, etc.
• Redo lobby with a second floor for office space, guidance, energy saving-get rid of the plate glass windows
6. Provide evidence that the restructuring of the guidance department is an effective use of human resources and provides the necessary drug and alcohol counseling for students.
The principal and guidance director would be responsible for determining which solutions to apply to this recommendation. Evidence did not demonstrate human resources are being effectively used with the elimination of the substance abuse counselor.
• Therapist from outside agency is here only one day a week verses full time counselor who was a district employee.
• Paperwork completion to bill insurance needed for students to receive services after first session is a barrier for ongoing counseling and support.
• Agency therapist cannot see students without parental consent.
• Current agency therapist might have a student in crisis. Student is unable to see this person right away because of a one-day schedule on a Monday that is bombarded with trainings and holidays. This also makes it difficult for therapist to keep track of students who are absent.
• Guidance counselors are responsible for an entire class of two hundred students or so, which limits their ability to spend time with students on a regular basis especially during certain times of the school year. This also limits guidance counselors’ ability to provide services for at-risk referrals including substance abuse related suspensions.
• Difficulty for guidance counselor to see freshmen students due to study halls scheduled during one block each day.
• Staff feedback: Why not do away with period 7/8 study halls for ninth grades students to allow more time for guidance? Restructure study halls. We need the drug czar back.
Solutions:
• Reinstate a district employee with a master’s degree in counseling to serve students for a multitude of barriers to learning including the abuse of substances, family addiction, peer mediation, low social skills and stress management but not to exclude responsibility for communicating with parents, area agencies, teachers, administrators, and other students as contributors for referrals of students in need.
• Restructure and reprioritize the scope and time for guidance counselors to be student centered to increase to student contact with their guidance counselor for individual, group, and classroom instruction/intervention. Determine what tasks interfere with guidance counselors’ ability to be more available for students in a proactive manner as well as continued accessibility for students to make an appointment.
• Guidance counselors could provide group sessions for social issues that impede student success with learning
#7 Ensure that the physical layout of the health services program promotes confidentiality and adequate access by students
The current situation with the “Wellness Center” or Nurse’s Office is that although the room has adequate space in that the room is large, the physical layout of the room does not promote confidentiality and privacy.
Because there are no windows to the hallway or lobby, it is difficult to observe students as they are approaching, waiting to be seen or as they leave the nurse’s office. Physical layout also lacks a visible waiting area for students with medical concerns and lacks an area for ill students waiting for parents or guardians. The physical structure also limits communication with other staff members should there be a need for assistance or information, i.e. we are removed from secretarial staff, principals and guidance.
This situation is currently being reviewed by the administrative staff. The review is currently at the discussion level.
STAFF FEEDBACK
P. 91, #8: "Ensure a means for the library/information services program and personnel to play a meaningful role in the delivery of the information gathering expectation in the school's mission."
A longer discussion is on p. 85: "The recently adopted expectations for student learning document includes an "information gathering" component as a learning goal [Academic Expectation #6]. At this time, the library media center does not have a formal curriculum that aligns with this to support the school mission.”
This is a valid recommendation and would require a two-year implementation period. The Media Specialist and department heads would develop implementation strategies.
Successful implementation would be shown by
• Developing a formal curriculum for "gathering information" in the media center and/or individual departments
• Demonstrating consistent school-wide use of the "information gathering" rubric for student learning
#9 Ensure that the library/information services personnel are afforded adequate input into the review and revision of the school’s curriculum
Background
•Staff report an informal process already taking place
•2 year time period for solution
Solution
Prior to curriculum revision, identify resources presently being used and available. As curriculum is drafted communicate needs to library/information services. On ongoing basis, library/information services continues to bring resources to attention of staff.
STAFF FEEDBACK
•Can they be invited to department meetings?
School Resources Recommendation #10
"Assure that all paraprofessionals have access to technology"
Background:
No paraprofessional has a MLTI computer; some use personal computers, computers on loan, or computers purchased by their department. (MLTI supplies computers to teachers and students only.)
Faculty response: (on sticky notes):
"Give them computers."
"Aren't there laptops that can be used (at least in the building) by paraprofessional staff?"
"Need to budget local funds for this through departments."
Why do paraprofessionals need access to technology/ their own laptop computer?
• note taking for hearing impaired students
• check on students' progress
• "tryouts" for software before being installed on all computers
• six paraprofessionals share two computers along with 12 students
• need communication with staff for ordering toner and other computer needs
• Ed Tech 3s actively teaching classes and are preparing lessons, doing research and writing assessments
• email is the lifeline of the school
• Ed Techs frequently are substitute teachers and need to communication with the teacher for lesson plans
• need for inclusion of all staff in the community of learners
• Ed techs need access at all times to technology
In summary:
It is the recommendation of the Visiting Committee that all paraprofessionals have access to technology. It is the lifeline of the school and all paraprofessionals should be included in this daily (sometimes hourly, sometimes shorter) communication. The problem seems to be with the language of the MLTI program in that only teachers and students would be provided a computer. Most paraprofessionals have stated that they use a computer now (either on loan or through their department funding) and that it is a valuable asset to their daily work in the school. It is important for communication from the office, to parents, with students and with teachers with whom they share teaching duties. It was only the media center paraprofessional who stated that a laptop was not necessary because their desktop computer with the Winnebago library program was always at their disposal.
It is the recommendation of this group that all paraprofessionals should be supplied a computer that is being retired to a cart this coming year.
Background
Currently, to our knowledge, guidance is the lone stakeholder when it comes to involving parents in the career and post-secondary educational planning process. For example, they offer a quarterly newsletter and multiple meetings devoted to informing parents about grade-specific career and post-secondary planning.
•5 year time period for solution
Solution
Teachers, local businesses, post-secondary institutions, and administrators have been identified as the ideal additional stakeholders.
Teachers can promote parental involvement through the following:
•In the future, an expectation for parent-teacher conferences will be to incorporate a brief discussion of student post-secondary planning
Local businesses can promote parental involvement through the following:
•Incorporate a business profile in the guidance newsletter, which will notify parents of requirements for employment in the area
Post-secondary institutions can promote parental involvement through the following:
•Advertise programs available to students through guidance newsletter
Administrators can promote parental involvement through the following:
•Communicate more effectively the variety of post-secondary opportunities available to our students
•Coordinate a parent-student college fair.
2. Find additional means for students to meet individually with counselors without interrupting academic programming. (Responsibility of Guidance Department)
The Guidance Department, especially the Guidance Secretary works very hard to see students only during scheduled study hall times, before school or after school. However, there are individual crisis situations that necessitate seeing students during class time.
• Guidance Counselors continued diligence to only see students during non-class times.
• Restructure freshman study hall time to allow more flexibility for freshmen to meet with their guidance counselor as opposed to all freshmen having the same study hall time at the same time every day.
Staff Feedback:
3. Special education
Special education has formalized goals for graduation rates, special education student rates and for special education paper work.
The special education reviews IEP paper work and the IEP writing process on a monthly basis through out the year. The special education director oversees the IEPs that have been complete and makes notes on mistakes. Te special education department is also currently in the first year of a certification auditing review by the state to see if our record keeping meets certain state standards.
The special education department sets goals based on special education rates. The two things the department concentrates on are graduation rates and number of special education students. The graduation rate is done yearly at the end of the school year when teachers provide the special education director with senior exit forms. The number of special education students is kept as an on going process. Exit and entrance forms are used to track special education students coming and going in the school.
Guidance
Each year in Guidance we create department level goals based on curriculum for college, career, personal, social and academic elements and individual counselor goals are developed. Departmental goals are created during staff meetings and during some in-service time. Individual goals are created by the counselor, and the Department Chair works with them to practice reflective behavior and include individual goals as part of the observation process. Guidance councilors then evaluate/reflect on the goals at the end of the year to determine programming effectiveness.
Last year a staff survey was conducted to gather input on guidance services, done on survey monkey. The guidance department is currently constructing a student survey, which when completed will be done on paper. This type of survey has not been done for years but the input gathered should prove to be very helpful for guidance to determine what the students needs are and the desire for new or adjusted services.
Library/ Media Resources
The library relies heavily on computerized data collection done monthly with the goal being the end of the year summary stating where the media center needs to accommodate the usage needs for their patrons/classes and the material checked out. This data is collected to improve the services they provide.
4. Seek additional/alternative storage methods for student records
The principal and guidance director would be responsible for determining which solutions to use for this recommendation.
• More file cabinets:
• Restructure space for cabinets
• Move archive files to different location
• Scan and digitize archive records in a tape or CD or server
The current solution of needed cabinets was solved with old cabinets. The storage space is more problematic for archive files than files for current students. Restructuring space has limitations with the current layout of the guidance department rooms. Someone would have to scan all the files from long ago to utilize technology. A solution should be reached by June of 2010.
5. Explore options for improving both accessibility and comfort for guidance spaces. (Responsibility of Administration and Building Maintenance)
The area designated for the Guidance Secretary’s work area is very small. The limited space in the entry of the guidance office also makes it difficult for a physically disabled or handicapped person to navigate through the tight space available in order to meet with a guidance counselor in his/her office.
• There is currently space in the guidance office (career library and open office), which might be able to be restructured to allow for a more spacious and welcoming entry are to the guidance office.
Staff Feedback:
• More space is needed with room for chairs, etc.
• Redo lobby with a second floor for office space, guidance, energy saving-get rid of the plate glass windows
6. Provide evidence that the restructuring of the guidance department is an effective use of human resources and provides the necessary drug and alcohol counseling for students.
The principal and guidance director would be responsible for determining which solutions to apply to this recommendation. Evidence did not demonstrate human resources are being effectively used with the elimination of the substance abuse counselor.
• Therapist from outside agency is here only one day a week verses full time counselor who was a district employee.
• Paperwork completion to bill insurance needed for students to receive services after first session is a barrier for ongoing counseling and support.
• Agency therapist cannot see students without parental consent.
• Current agency therapist might have a student in crisis. Student is unable to see this person right away because of a one-day schedule on a Monday that is bombarded with trainings and holidays. This also makes it difficult for therapist to keep track of students who are absent.
• Guidance counselors are responsible for an entire class of two hundred students or so, which limits their ability to spend time with students on a regular basis especially during certain times of the school year. This also limits guidance counselors’ ability to provide services for at-risk referrals including substance abuse related suspensions.
• Difficulty for guidance counselor to see freshmen students due to study halls scheduled during one block each day.
• Staff feedback: Why not do away with period 7/8 study halls for ninth grades students to allow more time for guidance? Restructure study halls. We need the drug czar back.
Solutions:
• Reinstate a district employee with a master’s degree in counseling to serve students for a multitude of barriers to learning including the abuse of substances, family addiction, peer mediation, low social skills and stress management but not to exclude responsibility for communicating with parents, area agencies, teachers, administrators, and other students as contributors for referrals of students in need.
• Restructure and reprioritize the scope and time for guidance counselors to be student centered to increase to student contact with their guidance counselor for individual, group, and classroom instruction/intervention. Determine what tasks interfere with guidance counselors’ ability to be more available for students in a proactive manner as well as continued accessibility for students to make an appointment.
• Guidance counselors could provide group sessions for social issues that impede student success with learning
#7 Ensure that the physical layout of the health services program promotes confidentiality and adequate access by students
The current situation with the “Wellness Center” or Nurse’s Office is that although the room has adequate space in that the room is large, the physical layout of the room does not promote confidentiality and privacy.
Because there are no windows to the hallway or lobby, it is difficult to observe students as they are approaching, waiting to be seen or as they leave the nurse’s office. Physical layout also lacks a visible waiting area for students with medical concerns and lacks an area for ill students waiting for parents or guardians. The physical structure also limits communication with other staff members should there be a need for assistance or information, i.e. we are removed from secretarial staff, principals and guidance.
This situation is currently being reviewed by the administrative staff. The review is currently at the discussion level.
STAFF FEEDBACK
P. 91, #8: "Ensure a means for the library/information services program and personnel to play a meaningful role in the delivery of the information gathering expectation in the school's mission."
A longer discussion is on p. 85: "The recently adopted expectations for student learning document includes an "information gathering" component as a learning goal [Academic Expectation #6]. At this time, the library media center does not have a formal curriculum that aligns with this to support the school mission.”
This is a valid recommendation and would require a two-year implementation period. The Media Specialist and department heads would develop implementation strategies.
Successful implementation would be shown by
• Developing a formal curriculum for "gathering information" in the media center and/or individual departments
• Demonstrating consistent school-wide use of the "information gathering" rubric for student learning
#9 Ensure that the library/information services personnel are afforded adequate input into the review and revision of the school’s curriculum
Background
•Staff report an informal process already taking place
•2 year time period for solution
Solution
Prior to curriculum revision, identify resources presently being used and available. As curriculum is drafted communicate needs to library/information services. On ongoing basis, library/information services continues to bring resources to attention of staff.
STAFF FEEDBACK
•Can they be invited to department meetings?
School Resources Recommendation #10
"Assure that all paraprofessionals have access to technology"
Background:
No paraprofessional has a MLTI computer; some use personal computers, computers on loan, or computers purchased by their department. (MLTI supplies computers to teachers and students only.)
Faculty response: (on sticky notes):
"Give them computers."
"Aren't there laptops that can be used (at least in the building) by paraprofessional staff?"
"Need to budget local funds for this through departments."
Why do paraprofessionals need access to technology/ their own laptop computer?
• note taking for hearing impaired students
• check on students' progress
• "tryouts" for software before being installed on all computers
• six paraprofessionals share two computers along with 12 students
• need communication with staff for ordering toner and other computer needs
• Ed Tech 3s actively teaching classes and are preparing lessons, doing research and writing assessments
• email is the lifeline of the school
• Ed Techs frequently are substitute teachers and need to communication with the teacher for lesson plans
• need for inclusion of all staff in the community of learners
• Ed techs need access at all times to technology
In summary:
It is the recommendation of the Visiting Committee that all paraprofessionals have access to technology. It is the lifeline of the school and all paraprofessionals should be included in this daily (sometimes hourly, sometimes shorter) communication. The problem seems to be with the language of the MLTI program in that only teachers and students would be provided a computer. Most paraprofessionals have stated that they use a computer now (either on loan or through their department funding) and that it is a valuable asset to their daily work in the school. It is important for communication from the office, to parents, with students and with teachers with whom they share teaching duties. It was only the media center paraprofessional who stated that a laptop was not necessary because their desktop computer with the Winnebago library program was always at their disposal.
It is the recommendation of this group that all paraprofessionals should be supplied a computer that is being retired to a cart this coming year.